The 2012-13 White Plains High School Men’s Basketball Team is a much better squad then indicated by their 1-3 record this season.

White Plains High School Head Basketball Coach Spencer Mayfield (left) marks his 20th season coaching the Tigers. Mayfield’s career-record stands at 306-123 at WPHS. Photo by Albert Coqueran

However, the Tigers cannot win games, if they do not make shots, as indicated in their, 53-46, loss to Woodlands High School, on Thursday, Dec. 20, at White Plains High School.

The Tigers shot an abysmal, 17-for-70 from the field against the Falcons. Tigers’ junior guard Chris Jordan shot a dismal 2-for-18, while scoring seven points. Furthermore, although Tigers junior guard Mike DeMello had his second 23-point game of the season, he shot a mere 9-for-26 from the field against Woodlands.

“We did not shoot the ball very well, 17-for-70 that does not get it done,” emphasized White Plains Head Coach Spencer Mayfield. “I am regretful the way we shot the ball and the way we played the game. They (Woodlands) out-played us,” stated Mayfield.

Another critique Mayfield acknowledged of his Tigers team this season is their inconsistency of play in games. The Tigers beat Yorktown High School, 72-45, at home on the same court, three days earlier, on Monday, Dec. 17.

Regardless, if Yorktown may not be one of the better teams the Tigers will face this season, they did blow out the Huskers, as they should have, by 27 points.

Another inconsistent factor while comparing the Tigers versus Woodlands and Yorktown games is that Jordan had 24 points and senior Devon Thomas scored 13 points against the Huskers. Neither, Jordan or Thomas was a factor in the scoring in the Tigers loss to Woodlands.

“Jordan played well (in the Yorktown game). He got a lot of open looks and he was able to make shots,” said the Tigers Head Coach. “But you have to do it night in and night out and develop a level of consistency,” stressed Mayfield, who in the midst of his 20th season at the helm of the Tigers.

The Tigers defense has played well so far this season. The defense was especially impressive in the first half against Woodlands. But when a team has three of their opponent’s best players in foul trouble early in the game, they must be aggressive on offense.

“We played solid defense in the first half but we could not capitalize on them being in early foul trouble. Three of their best players were in foul trouble and they were able to hang in there, we do not attack the basket enough,” stressed Mayfield.

Woodlands (4-3) sat senior forward D’Andre Tilford with four fouls throughout the fourth quarter until 4:30 left in the game. Also, Falcons senior center Da’Sean Downey was in early foul trouble. “We put the two seniors on the bench when they had four fouls and the young players kind of kicked it up a notch. We had three sophomores and two juniors on the floor,” commented Woodlands Head Coach Robert Murphy.

The only consolation for Woodlands with Tilford on the bench with four fouls in the fourth quarter was that Tigers center Nat Hudson also had to sit with four fouls at the start of the fourth quarter.

However, when Tilford returned he made the difference in the game with a three-point dagger at 1:25 in the fourth quarter to put the Falcons ahead, 47-42. “It was all good (sitting in the fourth quarter), because I had to get myself together,” stated Tilford, who was high-scorer for Woodlands with 13 points, while Downey added 12 points.

Inconsistent scoring is the Tigers foremost problem this season. Notable unreliable scoring has plagued the Tigers offense since the graduation of superstars Sean Kilpatrick and Ra’Shad James in 2008. The Tigers have dropped an average of 10.7 points per game since 2008.

DeMello transferring to White Plains this year from John F. Kennedy Catholic has added a double-digit scoring threat to the Tigers offense every game. Presently, the Tigers need Jordan, Thomas, Hudson, Marshon Morris and Justin Tapper to also be a consistent double-digit scoring menace against opponents this season.

As Mayfield stressed, about the Tigers poor shooting performance in their loss to Woodlands, “17-for-70 that does not get it done.”